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SpaceX’s Starship returns from orbit and is captured by launchpad arms in a dramatic first
NBC News • • business
Key Points:
- SpaceX's Starship successfully returned to Earth and was caught midair by mechanical arms at its launch pad, marking the first-ever capture of a Starship flying back from space, despite the first-stage booster exploding shortly after liftoff.
- The upper-stage spacecraft completed 14 orbits around Earth, released 26 Starlink satellites, and demonstrated the effectiveness of its heat shield and full reusability, crucial for reducing costs in future missions.
- The booster failed to land due to early engine shutdown and an automatic self-destruction triggered by its guidance system, with engineers continuing to investigate the cause.
- NASA praised the successful catch, as the agency plans to use Starship for Artemis missions aimed at landing astronauts on the moon and building a permanent lunar base, with the first crewed lunar landing targeted for 2028.
- SpaceX aims to begin launching Starships from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center soon, supporting NASA’s Artemis program and Elon Musk’s broader vision of establishing a city on Mars.
